Woodbury, MN December, 2014

The colorful and flavorful rice stick soup, called pho, is from Duc’s Vietnamese and Chinese Cuisine.Photo by: Emily J. Davis

A good bowl of soup has the power to heal, comfort and
fortify; in fact, every spoonful can heat a person’s very
bones. There is a veritable kaleidoscope of soupy soul
cures out there, from the classic to the exotic, and at this
time of year we need all of those things in a big way.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite soups to ease and
please on even the darkest, coldest day. You’re welcome.
(All prices are per bowl unless otherwise indicated.)

Rice Stick Soup (Pho)

Duc's Vietnamese and Chinese Cuisine
Every culture has an apocryphal hangover cure and in
Vietnam, beef noodle soup, called pho, will cure what ails
you. Pho has attained near cult status here in the states:
Google the word and witness the ensuing flood of lists and
arguments. Pho starts with a gently beefy, lightly sweet
broth; springy rice noodles make a nest at the bottom of
the bowl. Sliced beef and intensely flavored meatballs
complete the picture. The excitement comes from the
accompanying plate of DIY condiments: lime, sliced
jalapeno, mung bean sprouts and purple-leaved Thai basil.
We like ours heavy on the herbs with a healthy shot of
Sriracha sauce; the fiery brew is restorative and
addictive. $8.75.783 Radio Drive, Suite:100B; 651.735.1044.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

New Woodbury Cafe
This breakfast and lunch joint offers a daily special of
wonderful house-made soups, but one fixture is the enchanting
chicken enchilada soup, sort of a liquid version of one of our
favorite Mexican dishes. It’s made with enchilada sauce
(chili peppers, tomatoes and spices), tender white meat
chicken and melted yellow cheese. It’s a wee bit spicy—perfect
for our bashful Northern palates—and as cheesy as the enchilada
of our dreams. It comes garnished with tortilla chips.
Cup $5.95, bowl $6.25.803 Bielenberg Drive; 651.209.8081.

Nabe Yaki Udon

Osaka Restaurant
Nabe yakei udon (“hot pot udon noodle”) is a traditional
one-bowl Japanese meal and Osaka makes a heavenly one.
Udon noodles are fatter and squishier than other noodles;
coiled up in a lightly flavored broth with chicken, carrots,
mushrooms, scallions and spinach, they practically dissolve
in your mouth. Special features include a boiled egg and a
slice of fish cake, a curious looking white and pink disc
that is dense on the tooth and mild on the tongue. Hot shrimp
tempura lounges on the surface like a bathing beauty; eat
it before it gets soggy. $15.95.9000 Hudson Road; 651.731.3333.

Homemade Wild Rice

Cravings Wine Bar and Grille
This Minnesota classic is simultaneously grounding and uplifting,
which may be the ultimate goal of our hibernal cuisine. Wild rice
is a local crop and rich in good stuff like protein, lysine and fiber.
The indigenous Ojibwa tribe held wild rice sacred; we still cherish
it for its nutty, chewy goodness. Wild rice soup is calming during
any season, especially with that bolstering shot of local pride.
Chicken, celery, onion and lots of wild rice
(which happens to be gluten-free): simplicity
itself. $6.755 Bielenberg Drive; 651.528.6828.

Tortilla Soup

Bonfire
The tortilla soup at Bonfire is, according to the menu, “the best in
the Twin Cities,” quite an eyebrow-raising claim. It indicates that
the kitchen pays special attention every time they make it and takes
pride in the result. One slurp is convincing enough for us; we advise
that you surrender to the intriguing layers of spice, tomato, chicken
meat and tortilla strips. The chili zing enhances the warming effect.
The best garnish? Cool, silky sour cream. $5.451424 Weir Drive; 651.735.0085.

Dal

India Palace
Dal means “split” in the Sanskrit language, which refers to the beans or
lentils that form the bulk of this stew-like soup. There are a gazillion
and one ways to make a dal; every region in India has a distinct version,
as do Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. At India Palace,
red lentils go for a long simmer with a deft blend of Indian spices
(we detected turmeric, ginger and cumin for sure), garnished with a bright pop
of fresh cilantro. It’s delicious, and somehow manages to be both exotic and
reassuring at once. $3.99.8362 Tamarack Village; 651.731.6300.